Replies

1. 
   Midnight | Nov 26, 2003 10:39pm | #1

   Betula..

   can't say I've tried the pattern on pine, but I've built dozens of drawers from 12mm stock (baltic birch ply)... worked just fine for me...

   Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

2. 
   forestgirl | Nov 27, 2003 02:53am | #2

   It should work fine.  I've used the drawer lock bit with alder, which is a pretty "soft" hardwood.  Hope you're prepared for the time it'll take to set up.  I love them once they're tuned in, but getting there takes some time.  Plane plenty of scraps to final thickness for set-up trial and error.

   forestgirl Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   Midnight | Nov 27, 2003 03:35am | #3

   you had probs FG...??

   set up didn't take 5 mins with mine... raised the bit to 9.0mm, set the fence to reviel 9.0mm and it's good t go.....

   made a calibration jig for next time...Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

1. 
   Betula | Nov 27, 2003 07:35am | #4

   Thank you, I'll try it!

2. 
   forestgirl | Nov 27, 2003 08:59pm | #5

   I think I have excuses :>)  It was my first try, I was using stock that was thicker than 1/2" and it was before I'd bought my digital calipers, so measurment accuracy was adversely affected by the tools available and my not-so-good close-up vision.

   If those don't explain my struggle, then I'm missing some very basic principle!forestgirl Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   Midnight | Nov 28, 2003 12:03am | #9

   I hear what you're saying re measurement tools. I've been kicking myself lately for not having a lamp set up directly over the fence on the router table. Trying to read an offset when working in your own shadow is a royal b@#£h.. if you'll pardon my French.....Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

3. 
   USANigel | Nov 27, 2003 09:13pm | #6

   Mike, do you have some drawing of where you measured to and from? 'cause I wonder where you got the 9mm from when you are machining 12.7mm stock(1/2")

   I'm sure there is a quick way to set up this bit, trial and adjust just don't do it!!

1. 
   Midnight | Nov 27, 2003 11:29pm | #8

   Nigel...

   No drawing I'm afraid.. but it was pretty simple. I rotated the cutter until the tip of the buisness end was at TDC relative to the fence; measured from the fence to the tip and adjusted to suit. Height was measured from the face of the insert plate to the tip of the cutter.

   N.B. sizes given were to produce a fit where the outside face of the sides fitted flush with the outer edges of the fronts. Stock used was precicely 12.0mm. Just to prove to myself that it wasn't a fluke, that first set up was used to make 20 drawers. Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

3. 
   BobSmalser | Nov 27, 2003 10:17pm | #7

   You mean a drawer joint like this one?

   Pinned drawer joint

   Those are soft 5/8" Tulip Poplar drawer sides in a 10 1/2" high drawer.  Bottom of the soft poplar sides have a strip of Red Oak edgejoined as a wear strip.

   Those drawers have been in constant use for 20 years without problems...one of the reasons is that the sides are pinned to the front thru the joint with wedged dowels...a secondary reinforcement to the racking stress that will eventually break the gluejoint.

   Oh, and those were done with a tablesaw.

1. 
   Betula | Nov 28, 2003 02:55am | #10

   Hi Bob!, I was talking about joints made with this kind of bit.

   Marc-Andre

   View Image

1. 
   BobSmalser | Nov 28, 2003 08:46am | #11

   Never used one...but what's wrong with doing them on the table saw instead...I can adjust easier to minimize the shortgrain and maximize the depth of cut, which is the problem with these joints.

   That shortgrain is also the reason I pin them securely...the longer the gluejoint holds up, the less likely using the drawer with failed glue will crack your joint.  Always a good practice to cut joints that will still function after the glue has failed.

1. 
   Betula | Dec 03, 2003 03:21am | #12

   I appreciate your comment. I think I will not buy that router bit, and I'll make the joint on table saw.

   Thanks

   Marc-André

4. 
   scooter1 | Dec 03, 2003 03:56am | #13

   I have the bit, and tried it twice and just couldn't get it set up to run the stock. One runs one side of the stock from the table and the other from the fence, so the set up has to be perfect, both up and down and with the fence. It took me an hour and at that point I gave up. I have a dedicated finger joint jig that can cut finger joints in about 5 minutes. They are nicer looking and stronger than any drawer joint.

   I do this for a living and honestly can't afford a one hour learning curve on a frigging drawer.

   Regards,

   Boris

   "Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934